Word on the Street says that Mayor Jim Ardis will join state Representative Gordon and state Sen. Dave Koehler to host a Community Call to Action forum and workshop from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dream Center, 714 Hamilton Blvd.
The forum is aimed at addressing crime in Peoria with a goal of identifying causes of violent crimes in the Peoria area, developing community-generated violence prevention methods and establishing a timeline for implementation of new methods.
Pastor Harvey Burnett is calling the Mayor out for what he alleges is politicizing the Community Call to Action forum, instead of making a real grassroots effort to effectuate change...
The forum is aimed at addressing crime in Peoria with a goal of identifying causes of violent crimes in the Peoria area, developing community-generated violence prevention methods and establishing a timeline for implementation of new methods.
Pastor Harvey Burnett is calling the Mayor out for what he alleges is politicizing the Community Call to Action forum, instead of making a real grassroots effort to effectuate change...
Mayor Ardis,
First, I do not wish to rebuke you, for I do not believe that it is my place and I certainly respect your office. I do wish, however to express my concern over your actions regarding the upcoming Community Call To Action that will take place Saturday Feb. 13th 2010 at the Peoria Dream Center.
First, my concern is not with the forum itself as the Pastor's Association under my direction endeavored to do this type of event, having a meeting almost exactly one year ago, Thursday Feb. 12th 2009, as confirmed HERE under the EXACT name, A Community Call To Action. Our second meeting was at the same location, The Peoria Dream Center. This information is confirmed HERE.
Personally, as you know, I encourage efforts rendered to the community from multiple facets as you and I have discussed as recently as 2 weeks ago. I think that it is in the best interest of the community for as many individuals as possible to be involved in this important task especially in light of the crime that we witnessed last year. None of us want to see those things duplicated at any time in the future.
The problem I have is that you, in planning this event, totally overlooked or minimized the participation of people who have been identified to avail themselves in service to this community. Speaking frankly, if there is anyone that should have been asked to participate in this event, I would think it certainly would have been myself. I can't speak for others as I don't know if they were asked to be involved, but I know that myself and others who I can identify and have also availed themselves openly over the last few years were not asked or considered by your office for this event.
I don't mean and or intend to sound like I or we deserve some sort of special treatment or am prideful in any way, but for you to totally exclude me and persons like me as a part of a process to develop effective strategies against crime and violence, especially in light of the fact that I personally have such a great investment into the issue and a proven track record of community service addressing this issue, makes your actions highly suspect as political posturing. I hope and believe that I am totally wrong, but this is how it appears.
This event, to me, signifies that it is business as usual in Peoria. None of the people, including the State Representatives that you feature in this event, have ever contacted my office in any way shape or form to assess the needs of the community, victims or the victims families. Although that isn't a measurement of their commitment to the community, I can only say that I have personal dealings and interactions with many of families of violent crime victims and have been vocal in looking for solutions and preventive measures in times past.
First, I do not wish to rebuke you, for I do not believe that it is my place and I certainly respect your office. I do wish, however to express my concern over your actions regarding the upcoming Community Call To Action that will take place Saturday Feb. 13th 2010 at the Peoria Dream Center.
First, my concern is not with the forum itself as the Pastor's Association under my direction endeavored to do this type of event, having a meeting almost exactly one year ago, Thursday Feb. 12th 2009, as confirmed HERE under the EXACT name, A Community Call To Action. Our second meeting was at the same location, The Peoria Dream Center. This information is confirmed HERE.
Personally, as you know, I encourage efforts rendered to the community from multiple facets as you and I have discussed as recently as 2 weeks ago. I think that it is in the best interest of the community for as many individuals as possible to be involved in this important task especially in light of the crime that we witnessed last year. None of us want to see those things duplicated at any time in the future.
The problem I have is that you, in planning this event, totally overlooked or minimized the participation of people who have been identified to avail themselves in service to this community. Speaking frankly, if there is anyone that should have been asked to participate in this event, I would think it certainly would have been myself. I can't speak for others as I don't know if they were asked to be involved, but I know that myself and others who I can identify and have also availed themselves openly over the last few years were not asked or considered by your office for this event.
I don't mean and or intend to sound like I or we deserve some sort of special treatment or am prideful in any way, but for you to totally exclude me and persons like me as a part of a process to develop effective strategies against crime and violence, especially in light of the fact that I personally have such a great investment into the issue and a proven track record of community service addressing this issue, makes your actions highly suspect as political posturing. I hope and believe that I am totally wrong, but this is how it appears.
This event, to me, signifies that it is business as usual in Peoria. None of the people, including the State Representatives that you feature in this event, have ever contacted my office in any way shape or form to assess the needs of the community, victims or the victims families. Although that isn't a measurement of their commitment to the community, I can only say that I have personal dealings and interactions with many of families of violent crime victims and have been vocal in looking for solutions and preventive measures in times past.
I don't believe that I am unique in my efforts, but I have taken measures that others haven't from time to time and have gladly done what others haven't done in service to this community. This is why I find it difficult to understand the motivation behind calling a community to action and not involving leaders who have been identified through personal service to be dedicated to that cause and the betterment of our community.
In conclusion, I don't believe that there is anything that I would like you to “do” regarding this other than make a commitment to better involve citizens such as myself who are on the front-line of this battle for the safety of our community in all aspects. I believe that there must be a greater interaction between political, and social factions of this community to truly address the issue of crime and violence and promote the message of community safety in the best possible manner.
Thank you for your time.
In conclusion, I don't believe that there is anything that I would like you to “do” regarding this other than make a commitment to better involve citizens such as myself who are on the front-line of this battle for the safety of our community in all aspects. I believe that there must be a greater interaction between political, and social factions of this community to truly address the issue of crime and violence and promote the message of community safety in the best possible manner.
Thank you for your time.
Pastor Harvey Burnett
7 comments:
Hmmm, it does sound like he's being a bit prideful. Is it that he wasn't invited (hell, even I got an invitation) or that he wasn't invited to be part of the organizing? Is Pastor Burnett planning to go, or just sit and bitch about it?
Now, there's an anonymous idiot who just missed the whole point. It's not about pride it's about standing with them and commiting to them who are already doing the job. Can we say race commission? FYI: that was another top down failed attempt at exclusion. Although we deserve much better, why should we expect anything different?
We invite anyone wishing to know the details regarding this issue and why Pastor Burnett raised the concern the way he did to go to the Peoria Pastors blog and read the actual history of the said events and why this is an issue.
Thank You.
"Anonymous idiot"...
...now that is SO Christian!
So, Pastor Burnett, did you attend? If so, what did you think? If I were a betting man, though, I would guess you didn't go and instead will just complain that someone gathered a group of people and didn't have you on the dais. But what do I know, I'm an idiot.
Forget my question -- answered by WEEK news. So, rather than attending and contributing his thoughts, Pastor Burnett instead called the media to complain that he wasn't included. Kind of sad, isn't it?
Anonymous said:So, Pastor Burnett, did you attend?
Since you are kind of slow when it comes to this particular point let me say it like this...where were you or any of these officials 18 murders and 12 months ago when I made the initial call on Feb. 12th, 2009? Why did it take 15 days from Jan. 5th 2010 until Jan. 20th 2010 for the Mayor to respond to my request for a meeting to deal SPECIFICALLY with this agenda...Remember this was AFTER we had already rolled out a Peoria safe community campaign that he was fully aware of.
Why did the Mayor in our meeting on Jan 28th NOT MENTION his plans that were announced on Jan. 20th, the same day his secretary set the appointment with me?
So far as any of these officials are concerned and based on your logic, are we to assume that they (the officials) didn't come or say a word to me since the initial call on Feb. 12th 2009, because they wanted to be on the dias or because they were uninterested or simply wanted attention?
Now, if I were like you I could make that case because I could ask where are any of their phone calls to me or any of the families that people like me and Carl Cannon ministered to when these tragedies took place? They've had 12 months to respond and haven't said anything until now. I did not so much as receive a "whatever I can do" from any of them... So is it be fair for me to paint the picture that somehow these officials didn't care or only wanted publicity?
Surprisingly, using your warped form of logic I guess that would be appropriate, but I make no such claim...
Fact is that the Mayor has a duty to the citizens to INCLUDE them and especially those who can be readily identified in the field and who are carrying forth agenda effecting the citizens we are trying to reach. We are not students of his campaign, neither should we be approached as such. We don't approach him in that manner why should we be disrespected?
I contribute. We contribute. What do you do besides hide behind anonymous?
That leads to this comment that I agree with as it pertains to your commentary in this thread:
But what do I know, I'm an idiot.
Thank you for affirming my initial thoughts!
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